1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to magnetic tape units such as cartridges and cassettes of the type having a multi-channel recording tape mounted within a housing. The housing typically has an opening therethrough for receipt of a pair of channel-change electrodes on the playback mechanism. The tape moves past the opening in use and has a channel-change key portion thereon, conventionally a small section of electrically conductive material. When the key portion comes into contact with the electrodes during use, it causes a short circuit which activates suitable means in the playback device to switch to a different channel on the tape. Thus, without interference, the playback device is designed to cooperate with the keyed tape to play back the various channels in succession.
In many instances, however, the user may desire to play one channel of the tape two or more times in succession without switching to the next channel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, some types of playback devices are equipped with means to selectively cause one channel of a multi-channel tape to be played repeatedly. However, such means substantially increase the complexity, and therefore the cost, of the playback device. It is thus desirable to provide some means for accomplishing this function simply, inexpensively, and easily and, in particular, without the need for modification of either the tape unit itself or the playback device. In other words, there is a need for a convenient means of providing for a channel repeat function, which means may be used with standard tape units and with various types of playback mechanisms.